Surface Modification of GTA Crosslinked Collagen‐based Composite Scaffolds with Low Temperature Plasma Technology

In this study for preparing the better performance scaffold materials for peripheral nerve repairing, the collagen‐based composite scaffolds are crosslinked with glutaraldehyde and their structure and performance are investigated. The results of FTIR indicated that the collagen and chitosan are certainly crosslinked through GTA without any significant change in the chemical property. It was observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) that the crosslinked collagen‐based composite scaffolds had a porous three‐dimensional cross‐linked structure. The experiments showed that the biostability of the scaffold is greatly enhanced, but the GTA crosslinking induces the potential cytotoxicity and poor hydrophilic nature. To overcome these disadvantages, the low temperature plasma technology is utilized to modify the surface of the cross‐linked collagen‐based composite scaffolds in this study. Measurements of water contact angle showed that hydrophilic nature of surface of the scaffolds was improved after low temperature plasma technology modification. The cell proliferation experiments revealed that the modified collagen‐based composite scaffolds still kept their bioactivity and benefited the proliferation.     

Synergistic Approach to Elucidate the Incorporation of Magnesium Ions into Hydroxyapatite

Although the content of Mg²⁺ in hard tissues is very low (typically ≤1.5 wt %), its incorporation into synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles and its role in the mineral’s properties are still subject of intensive debate. A combined experimental–computational approach is used to answer many of the open questions. Mg²⁺‐enriched HAp particles are prepared using different synthetic approaches and considering different concentrations of Mg²⁺ in the reaction medium. The composition, morphology and structure of the resulting particles are investigated using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, FTIR, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. After this scrutiny, the role of the Mg²⁺ in the first nucleation stages, before HAp formation, is investigated using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Saturated solutions are simulated with and without the presence of DNA, which has been recently used as a soft template in the biomineralization process. This synergistic investigation provides a complete picture of how Mg²⁺ ions affect the mineralization from the first stages onwards.     

Synthesis of Hydroxyapatite Nanorods under Mild Conditions and Their Drug Release Properties

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods possess vast potential applications in various fields, and here HAp nanorods with high aspect ratio were synthesized via a convenient two‐stage precipitation‐hydrolysis process at 60°C under atmospheric pressure. The precursor of CaHPO₄ at precipitation stage is well crystallized as nubby morphology with CTAB as surfactant, while CaHPO₄ was dissolved and CTA⁺ stabilized the HAp nuclei during the hydrolysis stage. OH^? ions were absorbed onto the active crystal surface, where Ca²⁺ and PO₄³⁺ reacted with OH^? to make the nuclei grow into larger crystals, and highly crystalline HAp nanorods were obtained by Ostwald ripening. The loaded drug of IBU on the HAp crystals can be 100% released in 24 h. PVP modified HAp nanorods can increase the drug‐loading capacity and release drug faster than pure HAp nanorods. The results indicate that HAp nanorods modified with suitable surfactants are of great use in drug delivery system.     

Chitosan‐Assisted Crystallization and Film Forming of Perovskite Crystals through Biomineralization

Biomimetic mineralization is a powerful approach for the synthesis of advanced composite materials with hierarchical organization and controlled structure. Herein, chitosan was introduced into a perovskite precursor solution as a biopolymer additive to control the crystallization and to improve the morphology and film‐forming properties of a perovskite film by way of biomineralization. The biopolymer additive was able to control the size and morphology of the perovskite crystals and helped to form smooth films. The mechanism of chitosan‐mediated nucleation and growth of the perovskite crystals was explored. As a possible application, the chitosan–perovskite composite film was introduced into a planar heterojunction solar cell and increased power conversion efficiency relative to that observed for the pristine perovskite film was achieved. The biomimetic mineralization method proposed in this study provides an alternative way of preparing perovskite crystals with well‐controlled morphology and properties and extends the applications of perovskite crystals in photoelectronic fields, including planar‐heterojunction solar cells.     

Dual crosslinked pH‐ and temperature‐sensitive hydrogel beads for intestine‐targeted controlled release

Novel drug‐loaded hydrogel beads for intestine‐targeted controlled release were developed by using pH‐ and temperature‐sensitive carboxymethyl chitosan‐graft‐poly(N,N‐diethylacrylamide) (CMCTS‐g‐PDEA) hydrogel as carriers and vitamin B₂ (VB₂) as a model drug. The hydrogel beads were prepared based on Ca²⁺ ionic crosslinking in acidic solution and formed dual crosslinked network structure. The structure of hydrogel and morphology of drug‐loaded beads were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study about swelling characteristics of hydrogel beads indicated that the beads had obvious pH‐ and temperature‐sensitivity. In vitro release studies of drug‐loaded beads were carried out in pH 1.2 HCl buffer solution and pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution at 37°C, respectively. The results indicated that the dual crosslinked method could effectively control the drug release rate under gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions, which was superior to traditional single crosslinked beads. In addition, the effects of grafting percentage, pH value, and temperature on the release behavior of the VB₂ were investigated. The drug release mechanism of CMCTS‐g‐PDEA drug‐loaded beads was analyzed by Peppa's potential equation. According to this study, the dual crosslinked hydrogel beads based on CMCTS‐g‐PDEA could serve as suitable candidate for drug site‐specific carrier in intestine. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In situ mineralization of hydroxyapatite on electrospun chitosan-based nanofibrous scaffolds

A biocomposite of hydroxyapatite (HAp) with electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds was prepared by using chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) and N-carboxyethyl chitosan/PVA (CECS/PVA) electrospun membranes as organic matrix, and HAp was formed in supersaturated CaCl2 and KH2PO4 solution. The influences of carboxylic acid groups in CECS/PVA fibrous scaffold and polyanionic additive poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in the incubation solution on the crystal distribution of the HAp were investigated. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) were used to characterize the morphology and structure of the deposited mineral phase on the scaffolds. It was found that addition of PAA to the mineral solution and use of matrix with carboxylic acid groups promoted mineral growth and distribution of HAp. MTT testing and SEM imaging from mouse fibroblast (L929) cell culture revealed the attachment and growth of mouse fibroblast on the surface of biocomposite scaffold, and that the cell morphology and viability were satisfactory for the composite to be used in bioapplications.     

Acetate chitosan with CaCO3 doping form tough hydrogel for hemostasis and wound healing

In recent years, chitosan has been applied for wound management due to its properties of biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, and low immunogenicity. But the poor water solubility in neutral pH limited its further application in clinical wound healing. To overcome this problem, acetate chitosan was developed and approved as commercial products for wound healing. However, the acidity of acetate chitosan was potentially allergenic, and the poor mechanical properties of its formed hydrogels also hindered the therapeutic efficacy in wound care. In this study, CaCO₃ was simply doped into acetate chitosan to form the wound dressing. After absorbing water, the H⁺ of acetate chitosan reacted with CaCO₃ to release Ca²⁺, resulting in acidity decreased. The production of Ca²⁺ and residue of CaCO₃ cross‐linked with chitosan to form a tough hydrogel by electrostatic interaction. The physical characteristics, swelling, mechanical testing, and blood clotting were evaluated. The results in vitro demonstrated that after doping CaCO₃ into acetate chitosan, the mechanical properties and blood clotting of the formed hydrogel were increased. Then, the evaluation of hydrogels in vivo revealed that it can also accelerate the wound healing by promoting re‐epithelization and collagen deposition. This simple way by doping CaCO₃ into acetate chitosan can increase wound healing, and it can also broad the application of acetate chitosan in clinical use.     

Enhancing the stiffness of electrospun nanofiber scaffolds with a controlled surface coating and mineralization

A new method was developed to coat hydroxyapatite (HAp) onto electrospun poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanofibers for tendon-to-bone insertion site repair applications. Prior to mineralization, chitosan and heparin were covalently immobilized onto the surface of the fibers to accelerate the nucleation of bone-like HAp crystals. Uniform coatings of HAp were obtained by immersing the nanofiber scaffolds into a modified, 10-fold-concentrated simulated body fluid (m10SBF) for different periods of time. The new method resulted in thicker and denser coatings of mineral on the fibers compared to those produced by previously reported methods. Scanning electron microscopy measurements confirmed the formation of nanoscale HAp particles on the fibers. A mechanical property assessment demonstrated a higher stiffness with respect to previous coating methods. A combination of the nanoscale fibrous structure and bonelike mineral coating could mimic the structure, composition, and function of mineralized tissues.     

Structure and properties of chitosan derivatives modified calcium polyphosphate scaffolds

Organic and inorganic composite material is becoming a solution on making the mechanical and degradation properties of biomaterial more suited. Porous calcium polyphosphate was immersed into different concentrations of carboxymethyl chitosan before immersing 10% alginate dialdegyde. After freeze-drying, the scaffolds were performed in physiologic saline. At stated day, the weightloss, Ca²⁺ concentration, pH value and morphology were measured. The biocompatibility of the composite was demonstrated by extract and direct contact tests. As the results showed, the degradation rates of composites were faster, and the compressive strength became bigger because of the cross-linked network formed by Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and alginate dialdehyde (ADA). The pH value of composite was higher than that of calcium polyphosphate (CPP) due to the organic part of composite’s pH was in slight alkaline. From the SEM, the cross-linked network structure could be observed clearly. Because the glycosaminoglycans-like chains in CMC molecules, which are typically presented in extracellular matrix (ECM), extractions of composite material gave the cells good adhesion and growth condition. All the results testified the composite scaffold was a good candidate for bone repair.     

Solvation of Calcium–Phosphate Headgroup Complexes at the DPPC/Aqueous Interface

The effects of sodium (Na⁺) and calcium (Ca²⁺) cations on model zwitterionic dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) monolayers spread on metal chloride salt solutions are investigated by means of vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) and heterodyne‐detected (HD)‐VSFG spectroscopy. VSFG and HD‐VSFG spectra in the OH stretching region reveal cation‐specific effects on the interfacial water′s H‐bonding network, knowledge of which has been limited to date. It is found that low‐concentrated Ca²⁺ more strongly perturbs interfacial water organization relative to highly concentrated Na⁺. At higher Ca²⁺ concentrations, the water H‐bonding network at the DPPC/CaCl₂ interface reorganizes and the resulting spectrum closely follows that of the bare air/CaCl₂ interface up to ～3400 cm^?1. Most interesting is the appearance of a negative band at ～3450 cm^?1 in the DPPC/CaCl₂ Im χ_s⁽²⁾ spectra, likely arising from an asymmetric solvation of Ca²⁺–phosphate headgroup complexes. This gives rise to an electric field that orients the net OH transition moments of a subset of OH dipoles toward the bulk solution.     

One-step approach for nano-crystalline hydroxyapatite coating on titanium via micro-arc oxidation

Nano-crystalline hydroxyapatite (HAp) films were formed at the surface of Ti by a single-step micro-arc oxidation (MAO) using Ca²⁺ and P⁵⁺ ion-containing electrolytes. The HAp films were 10–25 μm thick, showing strong crystallinity dependence on the CaCl₂ concentration in the electrolytes. Also, the formation of an amorphous CaTiO₃ interlayer was identified to exist between the HAp and Ti substrates. In contrast to the previous researches using K₂HPO₄ for the electrolytes, KH₂PO₄ was used in this study, and this could allow the formation of the crystalline HAp layer. It is suggested as the most probable mechanism for the HAp formation that the high-density hydroxyl groups of TiO(OH)₂, formed by the reactions between the amorphous CaTiO₃ interlayer and the H⁺ ions from the dissolution of the KH₂PO₄, can play a key role in the nucleation and crystal growth of HAp by attracting Ca²⁺ and P⁵⁺ ions in the electrolytes.     

L-Glutamic acid loaded collagen chitosan composite scaffold as regenerative medicine for the accelerated healing of diabetic wounds

Diabetic wounds (DWs) are characterized by prolonged inflammation, which poses a significant challenge for clinicians and researchers to promote healing. In this study, we fabricate L-Glutamic acid (LGA) loaded collagen/chitosan (COL-CS) composite scaffold for the accelerated healing of DW. The characterization outcomes of the composite scaffold revealed that a crosslinked scaffold holds optimum porosity, low matrix degradation, and sustained drug release in contrast to a non-crosslinked scaffold. In vitro, LGA composite scaffolds have not exhibited any toxicity on 3T3L1 cell lines. In vivo, the LGA composite scaffold has shown significantly (p < 0.001), higher rates of wound contraction than those in control and COL-CS scaffold treated groups. In addition, MMP-9 levels were also significantly reduced in LGA composite scaffold-treated group compared with those in the control and COL-CS scaffold treated group. Thus, the LGA composite scaffold may serve as a promising therapy in DW due to its unique modulatory effect on inflammatory biomarker MMP-9.     

羟基磷灰石/胶原矿化机理的研究进展

仿生合成的羟基磷灰石(HAp)/胶原复合材料的结构和成分与天然骨相似,具有很好的生物相容性、生物活性和生物可降解性,有望成为新一代的骨替代材料。羟基磷灰石/胶原矿化过程其实质是晶体在自组装的胶原纤维上形成的过程,但这一过程在体内是如何进行的至今仍然不清楚。对胶原矿化机理的研究能为制备具有更优越结构和功能的新型骨替代材料提供理论参考。本文概述了羟基磷灰石/胶原矿化机理的研究进展。     

In-Vitro Biocompatibility Evaluation of Collagen-Hyaluronic Acid/Bioactive Glass Nanocomposite Scaffold

A nano-structured scaffold was designed for bone repair using collagen, hyaluronic acid (HYA) and nano-bioactive glass (NBaG) as its main components. The collagen-HYA/NBaG scaffold was prepared by using a freeze-drying technique and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Osteoblastls were seeded on these scaffolds and their proliferation rate, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and ability to form mineralized bone nodules were compared with those osteoblasts grown on cell culture plastic surfaces. The cross-section morphology shows that the collagen-HYA/NBaG scaffold possessed a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected homogenous porous structure. The results obtained from biological assessment show that this scaffold did not negatively affect osteoblasts proliferation rate and improves osteoblasts function as shown by increasing the ALP activity and calcium deposition and formation of mineralized bone nodules. Therefore, the composite scaffolds could provide a favorable environment for initial cell adhesion, maintained cell viability and cell proliferation, and had good in-vitro biocompatibility.     

Suberic Acid Acts as a Dissolving Agent as Well as a Crosslinker for Natural Polymers (Carbohydrate and Protein): A Detailed Discussion on the Chemistry Behind the Interaction

The natural polysaccharide chitosan and the natural protein collagen are widely used for the preparation of biopolymer materials in the presence of suitable crosslinkers. In this study, crosslinking feasibility of a dicarboxylic acid, namely suberic acid was tested using chitosan and collagen and in addition, thermal and mechanical properties were also tested for the resulting biopolymers. A 3D scaffold biopolymer material was prepared using chitosan at 1.0% (w/v) in the presence of suberic acid at 0.2% (w/v), similarly collagen 0.5% (w/v) in the presence of suberic acid 0.2% (w/v). Upon interaction, both the biopolymers displayed appreciable mechanical and thermal properties which add value to the biopolymers for biomedical applications. Molecular docking studies suggests the non-covalent interactions between the natural polymers and suberic acid is the reason behind the improved properties.     

An All‐solid‐state Polymeric Membrane Ca2+‐selective Electrode Based on Hydrophobic Alkyl‐chain‐functionalized Graphene Oxide

An all‐solid‐state polymeric membrane Ca²⁺‐selective electrode based on hydrophobic octadecylamine‐functionalized graphene oxide has been developed. The hydrophobic composite in the ion‐selective membrane not only acts as a transduction element to improve the potential stability for the all‐solid‐state Ca²⁺‐selective electrode, but also is used to immobilize Ca²⁺ ionophore with lipophilic side chains through hydrophobic interactions. The developed all‐solid‐state Ca²⁺‐selective electrode shows a stable potential response in the linear range of 3.0×10⁻⁷–1.0×10⁻³ M with a slope of 24.7±0.3 mV/dec, and the detection limit is (1.6±0.2 )×10⁻⁷ M (n =3). Additionally, due to the hydrophobicity and electrical conductivity of the composite, the proposed all‐solid‐state ion‐selective electrode exhibits an improved stability with the absence of water layer between the ion‐selective membrane and the underlying glassy carbon electrode. This work provides a simple, efficient and low‐cost methodology for developing stable and robust all‐solid‐state ion‐selective electrode with ionophore immobilization.     

Strain stiffening and negative normal stress in alginate hydrogels

Alginate hydrogels are polysaccharide biopolymer networks widely useful in biomedical and food applications. Here, we report nonlinear mechanical responses of ionically crosslinked alginate hydrogels captured using large amplitude oscillatory shear experiments. Gelation was performed in situ in a rheometer and the rheological investigations on these samples captured the strain‐stiffening behavior for these gels as a function of oscillatory strain. In addition, negative normal stress was observed, which has not been reported earlier for any polysaccharide networks. The magnitude of negative normal stress increases with the applied strain amplitude and can exceed that of the shear stress at large‐strain. Fitting a constitutive relationship to the stress‐strain curves reveals that the mode of deformation involves stretching of the alginate chains and bending of both the chains and the junction zones. The contribution of bending increases near saturation of G blocks as Ca²⁺ concentration was increased. The results presented here provide an improved understanding of the deformation behavior of alginate hydrogels and such understanding can be extended to other crosslinked polysaccharide networks. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1767–1775     

Evaluation of a novel nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite powder and a solid hydroxyapatite/Chitosan-Gelatin bioceramic for scaffold preparation used as a bone substitute material

Artificially fabricated hydroxyapatite (HAP) shows excellent biocompatibility with various kinds of cells and tissues which makes it an ideal candidate for a bone substitute material. In this study, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been prepared by using the wet chemical precipitation method using calcium nitrate tetra-hydrate [Ca(NO₃)₂.4H₂O] and di-ammonium hydrogen phosphate [(NH₄)₂ HPO₄] as precursors. The composite scaffolds have been prepared by a freeze-drying method with hydroxyapatite, chitosan, and gelatin which form a 3D network of interconnected pores. Glutaraldehyde solution has been used in the scaffolds to crosslink the amino groups (|NH₂) of gelatin with the aldehyde groups (|CHO) of chitosan. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) performed on different scaffolds indicates that the incorporation of a certain amount of hydroxyapatite has no influence on the chitosan/gelatin network and at the same time, the organic matrix does not affect the crystallinity of hydroxyapatite. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images show the needle-like crystal structure of hydroxyapatite nanoparticle. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis shows an interconnected porous network in the scaffold where HAP nanoparticles are found to be dispersed in the biopolymer matrix. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirms the presence of hydroxyl group (OH^-) , phosphate group (PO^3-₄) , carbonate group (CO^2-₃) , imine group (C=N), etc. TGA reveals the thermal stability of the scaffolds. The cytotoxicity of the scaffolds is examined qualitatively by VERO (animal cell) cell and quantitatively by MTTassay. The MTT-assay suggests keeping the weight percentage of glutaraldehyde solution lower than 0.2%. The result found from this study demonstrated that a proper bone replacing scaffold can be made up by controlling the amount of hydroxyapatite, gelatin, and chitosan which will be biocompatible, biodegradable, and biofriendly for any living organism.     

碳纳米管/壳聚糖复合微球的原位仿生矿化及表征

对碳纳米管(CNTs)进行酸化处理, 采用乳化交联法制备CNTs/壳聚糖(CS)复合微球, 在其表面诱导羟基磷灰石仿生合成, 研究了CNTs对复合微球仿生矿化的影响, 并与纯CS微球的仿生矿化进行了对比. 利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、 X射线衍射仪(XRD)、 溶胀率和含水率测试等考察了复合微球矿化前后的形貌特征、 物相结构及稳定性. 结果表明, 在相同时间下, CNTs/CS复合微球表面纳米羟基磷灰石的形成能力明显优于纯CS微球, 且形态稳定性更高. 细胞实验结果表明, 与MG63细胞共培养7 d时, 矿化复合微球细胞增殖明显.     

Direct Synthesis of Hydroxyapatite-Silk Fibroin Nano-Composite Sol via a Mechanochemical Route

In the presence of fine silk cocoon (silk fibroin, SF) powder, a low viscosity sol of nano-hydroxyapatite (HAp, Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂)—SF was synthesized by a wet mechanochemical reaction. Nano crystals of HAp are oriented along their c-axis. The secondary structure of SF was changed by milling. A uniform thin gel film was obtained by a simple dip coating on the glass substrate precoated by chitosan.